The Last Potion

It was lucky that I decided not to turn my back on the whole thing


Justin Penny
Normal
Justin Penny
2
90
2003-04-24T04:30:00Z
2003-04-24T04:30:00Z
2
1053
4616
83
23
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9.2720







Down in the Dungeons

 

It was lucky that I decided not to turn my back on
the whole thing. For the first time in years I enjoyed myself considerably.
Being reunited with old friends and reacquainting myself with the vast castle
of Hogwarts brought back many memories. Those memories were far warmer than I
remembered. I did enjoy my years at Hogwarts very much. I enjoyed my friends
and I enjoyed my classes.

Perhaps those cold, black eyes would have
stirred up some dark memories… if I’d seen them. But I didn’t. In three days I
never once saw a trace of the Potions Master. Now, whether or not Severus Snape
was still at Hogwarts, I didn’t know. Nobody told me, and I didn’t ask.

Of course, his name did come up here and
there in the midst of a conversation among classmates, but no one knew for
certain. We talked plenty about our school memories and how much we’d all like
to do it all again. None of myendsends knew how I felt about our wicked,
sardonic Potions Master, but I thought to myself that if I’d had the chance to
do those seven years over again, I’d not have fallen so deeply in love with
him. I’d have not taken to any feelings for him at all… except perhaps those
bitter feelings most everyone had for him.

Sometimes while walking alone through the
corridors I could have sworn I felt his presence still lurking around me, but I
excused such foolishness for childhood memories. As students, it seemed that
when we were roaming the corridors past curfew it was always Professor Snape
who discovered us. Little did my fellow Ravenclaws know how much I loved being
caught by this particular night prowler. I loved seeing him at any opportunity,
even if it led to trouble and a detention. Professor Flitwick was always easy
on us. His detentions usually consisted of petty chores within our Common Room.
They were relatively effortless chores, as the House Elves did a superb job of
keeping our Common Room tidy as it was.

A part of me misses that cold chill that
runs up and down my spine each time I pass the dark passage leading down to
where we had our Potions class. Twice now I’ve walked by, half wanting to take
a peek inside my old classroom and half wanting to just walk on by.

It was nearly time to leave now. I’ll have
one more chance to explore the dungeons. After dinner I’ll be on my way back
home to London. Back to Rubens Winikus where I’ll continue to concoct the most
difficult of potions known to the wizarding world. Back to where I’ll be alone,
longing for the love I once thought I had.

I was on my way to the Great Hall when I
stopped and stood at the top of the staircase leading down to the depths of the
dungeons. I could feel a draft of cold air already. Potions class was always so
cold. Even now in the heat of summer I could feel goosebumps forming on my bare
legs.

I lived in a Muggle neighbourhood, so
naturally my wardrobe consisted primarily of Muggle clothing. This weekend I
saw that I wasn’t the only one who packed Muggle clothing. In my opinion, the
fashions of the Muggle world were far more trendy and stylish. Sometimes I felt
like I would suffocate in my robes. Today I wore a soft, silky little black
cross-top shirt with short sleeves and the cosiest denim skirt I own. It came
down just above my knees and had a little slit in the back. The heels of my
open-toed black sandals echoed as I took one step at a time down towards the
dungeons.

My hand clung tightly to the railing as if a
part of me were trying to hold the rest of me back. Perhaps that was the
shrewd, wiser half of me. My heart hammered within my chest so hard I could
hear it pounding against my eardrums. The goosebumps on my skin spread and
swelled so much it hurt.

This’t r’t right. What is it that my body is
dreading so dearly? Is it the memories I left buried within these dungeon
walls? Is it for fear that my schoolgirl crush will be resurrected upon setting
my eyes on my old Potions classroom? Or, is it the remote possibility that he’s
down here - right now?

Impossible!
If he were still here somebody would have said something!

I should just turn around. Clearly I’m not
as prepared as I thought I was for this little endeavour. I thought Severus
Snape no longer meant anything to me, but if the mere memory of him is causing
me to crumble like this, there are obviously still some issues I have yet to
ravage.

I had just turned around and hopped up a
couple of steps when a faint noise caught my attention. I stopped, froze, and
listened carefully. I thought I’d heard someone sniff.

So what? Among other things, the castle is
chockfull of sniffling, sneezing, talking portraits. It could have been
anything… or anyone.

I stepped quietly up a few more stairs and
kept my ears on alert.

Just then, a horrible sound struck my ears.
A high-pitched squeal much like a heavy wooden chair being pushed across the
stone floor.

There is someone down there!

Before I knew what I was doing, my feet
started carrying me down the staircase and towards the open door of my old
Potions classroom. My heart was no longer thundering and the cold had ceased to
bother me. In fact, I felt quite eager to see who else had gathered the courage
to revisit the Potions classroom.

After all, many of my fellow graduates were
Slytherins. Perhaps one, or some of them had come down to see the classroom as
well.

I stopped at the door and looked inside. At
first I thought it was empty, but then my eye caught a peculiar figure in the
furthest, darkest corner of the classroom. Glossy black hair, billowing black
robes…

Just then, my heart did stIt wIt was a
Hogwarts graduate – and a Slytherin, too. Not from my graduating class though.

Oh Merlin! It’s him!